1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fluorinated oil compositions used as lubricants. More specifically, the present invention relates to a solvent system for rendering fluorinated oil more miscible with oil additives and which can also be formulated into an effective aerosol system.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Perfluorinated oil compounds and highly fluorinated oil compounds are lubricants known to maintain their outstanding properties under severe chemical and thermal conditions. Whereas elevated temperatures, aggressive chemicals, flammable conditions and airborne contaminants can quickly exceed the performance capabilities of many hydrocarbon lubricants, this is not the case for fluorinated lubricants. One such class of perfluorinated oil compounds is perfluoropolyethers (xe2x80x9cPFPExe2x80x9d). These compounds are low molecular weight fluorine endcapped homopolymers of hexafluoropropylene oxide. One group of commercially available PFPEs is sold by DuPont under the tradename KRYTOX GP-101 and has the formula as F(CF(CF3)CF2O)nxe2x80x94CF2CF3, where n is an integer from 10 to 60.
The primary technical difficulty, however, with using perfluorinated compounds in commercial applications is that they are not miscible with or soluble in most substances, except perhaps certain other highly fluorinated materials which are so costly to produce they are not commercially attractive as solvents for these fluorinated oils.
The inability of perfluorinated oils to form single phase compositions with most substances also effects the ability to include oil additives which are conventionally employed and are often necessary in many extreme condition applications. The conventional additives used with lubricating oils are also typically not miscible with perfluorinated oils. For example, many lubricants contain additives such as anti-wear agents, extreme pressure agents, corrosion inhibitors, lubricity additives and the like which are combined with the oil to not only impart their properties to the oil but also to thicken the oil into a paste or grease. When these additives are used with PFPEs, they tend to separate from the oil and form separate liquid and solid phases.
A number of patents disclose cleaning compositions which have a perfluorinated solvent compound in combination with partially fluorinated or non-fluorinated solvents to form solvent systems or azeotropic compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,401,429, 5,484,489, 5,594,601 and 5,744,436 disclose a combination of a perfluorinated cycloaminoether and an organic solvent to form an azeotropic cleaning organic solvent to form an azeotropic cleaning compound. Other cleaning compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,401,514 (a degreasing solvent having 40% by volume or more of a perfluorocarbons); U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,437 (a cleaning composition having 2-20% benzotrifluoride, 5-50% glycolether, 2-40% alkane and 7-56% water); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,002 (a two-part, single-phase cleaning solvent having from 3-20% by weight of a fluorinated compound and the remainder of the composition being benzotrifluoride).
None of these patents, however, disclose compositions which contain a fluorinated oil as part of the composition, i.e., a delivery system for a fluorinated oil. Moreover, none of these patents show a fluorinated oil in an aerosol composition. Effective aerosol compositions contain solvents or carrier materials for the oil which also have the ability to rapidly evaporate once it delivers the oil to the substrate. In order to have wide commercial acceptability, this should be achieved at an affordable cost, particularly since the primary purpose of the solvent is to carry the oil to its intended surface.
Heretofore, there has not existed a fluorinated oil-containing composition which possesses the aforementioned properties and which could be made into an aerosol form. The present invention provides such a composition.
One advantage of the present invention is that it provides a composition to deliver perfluorinated and highly fluorinated oil lubricants. In particular PFPE oils are found to be especially useful and can be combined with conventional oil additives to provide a stable single-phase composition.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides compositions which are effective aerosol delivery systems for fluorinated oils.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a fluorinated oil composition including a fluorinated oil first component; and a fluorinated aromatic second component, such as a substituted benzene second component selected from parachlorobenzotrifluoride, monochlorotoluene, 3,4-dichlorobenzotrifluoride, alpha, alpha, alpha-trifluorotoluene, and combinations thereof.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a fluorinated oil composition including a fluorinated oil first component, a fluorinated aromatic second component such as a substituted benzene second component selected from parachlorobenzotrifluoride, monochlorotoluene, 3,4-dichlorobenzotrifluoride, alpha, alpha, alpha-trifluorotoluene, and combinations thereof; and optionally a highly fluorinated third component including a fluorinated alkane having from four to ten carbon atoms, such as those selected from the group consisting of perfluorocarbons, dihydropolyfluoroalkanes having 5 to 7 carbons, trihydropolyfluoroalkanes having 5 to 7 carbons, and combinations thereof. Decafluoropentane is one such commercially available material. Due to the combination of the first two components of the present invention, significantly lower amounts of the more costly optional fluorinated alkane can be effectively employed without creating a prohibitively costly product.
An article of manufacture is also provided for in the present invention. The article of manufacture includes a container for a flowable composition; and a flowable composition contained therein. The composition within the container includes a fluorinated oil first component; and a fluorinated aromatic second component. The composition can further include a propellant. The composition may further include a fluorinated third component comprising a fluorinated alkane having from four to ten carbon atoms, which is a very desirable embodiment due to its single phase form. Although the composition most desirably exists in a single phase, dispersions, emulsions and other combinative forms are contemplated.
A method of forming a fluorinated oil composition is further provided. The method comprises providing a first fluorinated oil component, and combining the fluorinated aromatic second component thereto. A highly fluorinated third component, as described above, may also be added. A method of using a fluorinated oil composition as a cleaner and delivery vehicle is also provided.